Pelargonium plant named ‘Regarwhite’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Regal Geranium plant named ‘Regarwhite’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; and white-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium grandiflorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘REGARWHITE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Regal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium grandiflorum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Regarwhite’.

The new Regal Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new early flowering Regal Geranium plants that do not require a cooling treatment for flower development.

The new Regal Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor of two unidentified proprietary selections of Pelargonium grandiflorum, not patented, during the summer of 2015. Seed was collected from a number of potential parent plants, combined and sown. The new Regal Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated mass cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany during the spring of 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Regal Geranium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since October, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Regal Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Regal Geranium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with various environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Regarwhite’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Regarwhite’ as a new and distinct Regal Geranium plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. White-colored flowers.     -   6. No required cooling treatment for flower development.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium grandiflorum ‘Camwhimp’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Regal Geranium differ from plants of ‘Camwhimp’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Regal Geranium are larger than plants of         ‘Camwhimp’.     -   2. Plants of the new Regal Geranium have larger leaves than         plants of ‘Camwhimp’.     -   3. Plants of the new Regal Geranium have larger flowers with         larger petals than plants of ‘Camwhimp’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Regal Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Regal Geranium plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Regarwhite’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter, spring and summer in 19-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Thiendorf, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Regal Geranium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were given a eight-week cooling treatment at 9° C. to enhance flower development. Plants were five months old when the photograph was taken and seven months old when the description was taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium grandiflorum ‘Regarwhite’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection             of Pelargonium grandiflorum, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection of             Pelargonium grandiflorum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and             uniformly mounded plant habit; broad inverted triangle;             densely foliated; moderately vigorous growth habit; medium             growth rate; freely basal branching habit with about five             primary lateral branches each with five secondary lateral             branches developing per plant.         -   Plant height, to top of leaves.—About 28 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 34 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 50 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 3.5 cm. Texture: Moderately             pubescent; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate and opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 6 cm.         -   Width.—About 6.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Rhomboid.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate, open.         -   Margin.—Serrate with shallow and divergent indentations.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely             pubescent; leathery; semi-glossy.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137C; venation, close to 137C. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B; venation,             close to 146B. Zonation pattern: None discernible.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderate. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Moderately pubescent; medium glossiness. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single rotate             flowers arranged in rounded hemispherical umbels arising             from apical leaf axils; umbels displayed above the foliar             plane on strong peduncles; flowers face mostly upright to             outwardly depending on position on the inflorescence; freely             flowering habit; about three flowers per umbel and numerous             umbels developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering about five months after planting; in outdoor             gardens in Germany, plants flower during the spring and             summer; plants do not require a cooling treatment for flower             initiation and development, however a cooling period of             eight weeks at 9° C. will enhance overall plant quality.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six to ten days on the             plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Umbel height.—About 7.5 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 10 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6 cm by 7 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 3 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Shape: Spindle-shaped. Texture and luster: Pubescent;             semi-glossy. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single             whorl; petals imbricate. Length, upper petals: About 4.2 cm.             Length, lower petals: About 4.5 cm. Width, upper petals:             About 3.8 cm. Width, lower petals: About 2.6 cm. Shape, all             petals: Obovate. Apex, all petals: Rounded. Base, all             petals: Cuneate. Margin, all petals: Entire; moderately             undulate. Texture and luster, all petals, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, all petals: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 155D;             venation, close to 155D; color does not change with             subsequent development. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 155D; venation, close to 155D; color does             not change with subsequent development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; semi-glossy. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Angle: Slightly outwardly             slanted. Texture and luster: Pubescent; glossy. Color: Close             to 146A.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 3 cm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Strong; flexible. Angle:             Slightly outwardly slanted. Texture and luster: Pubescent;             glossy. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About eleven. Filament length: About 1.5 cm. Filament color:             Close to 155D. Anther size: About 1 mm by 2 mm. Anther             shape: Tubular. Anther color: Close to 72A. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 171B. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2 cm. Stigma             diameter: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Five-parted. Stigma             color: Close to 61A. Style length: About 1.2 cm. Style             color: Close to 61C. Ovary color: Close to 147C. Seeds and             fruits: To date, seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Regal Geranium. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Regal     Geranium have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and     pests common to Regal Geranium plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Regal Geranium have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about     35° C. to 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Regal Geranium plant named ‘Regarwhite’ as illustrated and described. 